Cherry Point accountant declares desire to lead city hall

Published: Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 07:39 PM.

Edwin Vargas, a civilian employee at Cherry Point air station, has formed a committee to run for New Bern mayor in the upcoming election.

Mayor Lee Bettis recently announced he will not seek re-election.

Vargas, 54, has never held public office but believes he can do a good job, he said.

“I decided I have seen some things I can possibly do with a much better operation,” Vargas said.

That includes more transparency than the current board by releasing information from closed session in a timelier manner, he said.

Vargas said for the past four years he has been working behind the scenes, contacting aldermen and the mayor to push issues forward like the new storm water policy, as one example. He also has spent a lot of time trying to get minutes from closed sessions, he said.

“I think the people who are now in place are excellent,” Vargas said. “I just want to make sure there is a calmness and respect among people on the board and the mayor. There is no reason to verbally trash someone in public. Those things should be done in closed session.”

Edwin Vargas, a civilian employee at Cherry Point air station, has formed a committee to run for New Bern mayor in the upcoming election.

Mayor Lee Bettis recently announced he will not seek re-election.

Vargas, 54, has never held public office but believes he can do a good job, he said.

“I decided I have seen some things I can possibly do with a much better operation,” Vargas said.

That includes more transparency than the current board by releasing information from closed session in a timelier manner, he said.

Vargas said for the past four years he has been working behind the scenes, contacting aldermen and the mayor to push issues forward like the new storm water policy, as one example. He also has spent a lot of time trying to get minutes from closed sessions, he said.

“I think the people who are now in place are excellent,” Vargas said. “I just want to make sure there is a calmness and respect among people on the board and the mayor. There is no reason to verbally trash someone in public. Those things should be done in closed session.”

Vargas said, if elected, he would increase the time people get to speak during the Board of Aldermen’s petition of citizens from 4 to 5 minutes, and give people 10 minutes to present slide shows.

“So there are things I see we can improve on,” he said. “We cannot continue to move funds from the general fund to here and there. There should be a Top 10 list and the city needs to address that using cash instead of bonds.”

Vargas said he would also make sure all citizens know what is going on with the city finances and that information would be released from closed sessions. He said he would look for savings in all city departments and focus on the priorities of the city, especially taking care of city employees, he said.

By cutting finances, Vargas said he would give city employees unannounced bonuses if possible.

“They would be happier and pleased their supervisors know about them and what they have done,” he said.

Vargas said he would bring a decade of experience with finance to the city after working in accounting for the government.

“I understand what a ledger sheet is,” Vargas said. “I think I can bring savings across the board so taxes don’t have to go up on personal property. I’m looking forward to the campaign and election, and hopefully there will be others who run for mayor and for alderman.”

Vargas is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served 10 years on active duty and 14 years in the Naval Reserve as a hospital corpsman. He was recalled during the first Gulf War to Naval Hospital Cherry Point for one year from 1989 to 1990.

Vargas lives in New Bern with his wife and two children.

Eddie Fitzgerald can be reached at 252-635-5675 or at eddie.fitzgerald@newbernsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @staffwriter3.